We invite you to join us on an
exciting photo-expedition to Svalbard, specially
arranged for nature photography enthusiasts.
Naturfokus will be chartering the exclusive
services of the entire vessel, M/S
Origo,
during the period of June
22 to
29. This
photo-expedition offers many advantages for
photographers, as compared with the typical
Svalbard tours:- Nature photographer Ole
Jørgen Liodden will be the leader of both the
expedition and travel group, which means that he
will collaborate with the photographers who are
participating in determining where we will go
and when. Lighting conditions and photo
opportunities will determine much of our travel
route instead of the standard stops along the
way. IMPORTANT NOTE: The vessel’s captain, the
polar bear guards, along with the prevailing
weather and ice conditions will set the limits
concerning what we can do with regard to
accessibility and safety.
- We will number 24 photographers (+
expedition leader and 3 boat drivers)
distributed among 3 Zodiacs, which entails
9 persons per Zodiac. This is a MAJOR advantage
considering all of the photo equipment and
compared with typical tours involving 13 to 14
persons in each Zodiac. This will enhance our
photographic endeavors considerably!!
- We can be out in the Zodiacs for longer
periods and be more flexible concerning
mealtimes and other "fixed" program matters. We
will therefore give participants the opportunity
to make food packs.
- We may decide to remain at places where the
lighting conditions or the opportunity to get
incredible pictures tend to dictate this
strategy instead of roaming around aimlessly in
search of tourist attractions.
- We will obtain updated info on where we can
find exciting animal life, etc., so that we can
more effectively and more directly approach the
species and types of nature we wish to
photograph.
- We will be omitting all of the standard "stops",
souvenir shops, rusty ovens and abandoned
whaling stations, unless there is a clear desire
to visit some of these places on the part of the
majority of the participants.
- We will enjoy the services of an
experienced captain who is skilled at navigating
in close proximity of animals and photographic
subjects so as to allow the best possible angle
for photography.
Svalbard is situated at about 80 degrees
north, and we must schedule the expedition in
accordance with prevailing weather and ice
conditions. Our captain is an expert at dealing
with arctic conditions and will be an important
advisor with regard to planning in a manner that
allows us to get the most out of this trip. We
will be including some excursions which involve
going ashore among walrus colonies (or walrus on
the ice), bird cliffs and places that are
seething with life during that time of year. In
July, the flora and animal life on Svalbard is
at its peak activity, which guarantees us some
unforgettable outdoor experiences and exciting
photographic opportunities in which we can
capture nature in all its splendor.
Ice
Map: The ice will
determine where we can navigate our vessel. Get
an updated report of ice conditions [here]
(updated every Wednesday afternoon).
Safety:
Our safety will have top priority
during the entire expedition and will be
maintained by the crew of the M/S
Origo. We
must therefore adhere to all applicable safety
regulations – especially with regard to polar
bears. This also pertains to use of the Zodiac
boats (inflatables) in close proximity to
icebergs and glacial edges where there may be
elements of risk which we do not see or of which
we are not fully aware. The more secure we fell,
the easier it will be for all participants to
concentrate on nature and photographic
opportunities.
Ethics:
We shall NOT contribute to a
worsening of the impression some people have got
of the nature photographers who visit Svalbard.
We will therefore be scheduling somewhat longer
stops than is usual when going ashore in order
to provide participants with ample time and the
calm conditions needed to get excellent pictures
without exposing the wildlife to unnecessary
stress. We are omitting the traditional "cruise-ship
stops" as these eat up precious time without
providing us with any truly interesting
photographic opportunities.
General information:
M/S Origo is
an expedition boat well suited
for photography. The beds are made ready and bed linen
and a towel are provided. Food service will be
at a designated time, but we intend to be
flexible in this regard if photo opportunities
arise which dictate that the food can wait. The
cook generally has a varied and exciting menu.
 |
 |
The plan shows location on
cabins
|
NOK |
25
750 |
A-Triple
cabin with shared
facilities |
3 |
|
NOK |
27
850 |
B-Twin
cabin with shared
facilities |
12 |
|
NOK |
32
500 |
C-Twin
cabin with private
facilities |
6 |
|
NOK |
36
500 |
D-Superior
cabin with private
facilities |
2 |
|
NOK |
36 500 |
E-Single
cabin with private
WC |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
The first day aboard the vessel may consist
of a transport leg, and it may be advisable to
have taken tablets for seasickness along with
taking it easy until your body has adjusted to
being aboard. We have a projector which can be
used for viewing pictures. The vessel’s crew
members speak Swedish and English.
Inflatable Boats: We
have use of 3 Zodiacs which are very
spacious. These boats will be used to get closer
to photo subjects or while going ashore. It is a
good idea to bring rubber boots due to certain
wet conditions when going and exploring ashore.
Info
concerning photography: There are no
scheduled lectures/photography courses during
this trip, but we may have an opportunity to
look at each other’s pictures via the projector
if there is an interest in doing so and ample
time. Vibrations from the vessel’s motor may
present problems when photographing polar bears,
etc. A monopod, IS lenses or handheld
photography may present a solution. This problem
is minimal under lighting conditions which allow
a min. 1/1600 sec shutter time even with a 600mm
lens mounted on a tripod. It is wise to bring a
laptop computer in order to transfer and review
pictures as quickly as possible. You can easily
surpass 5,000 exposures on this type of trip
such that an external hard drive or lots of
available space on your computer’s drive is the
best way to go. There are 220V outlets in the
cabins for charging batteries, etc. Be sure to
bring along enough batteries and memory cards.
There may be ocean fog and poor lighting
conditions on Svalbard such that fast optics is
a definite advantage.
Registration: You
reserve a seat by
submitting a signed [booking
form] and payment of a deposit of
NOK 6000 to
bank account no.: 6185.05.28607.
With the signed booking form you confirm your acceptance of the
terms and conditions
